Wrench.



No. 841,831; PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907. F. E. WALDEN.

WRENCH. APPLICATION FILED r'mm 1906.

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. wrench-handle is swung y of being swung out of interference with the l the UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE. I

FREDERICK E. WALDEN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 22, 1907.

Application filed February 21, 1906. Serial No. 302,167.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK E. WAI; DEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Worcester, in the county of VVorcester, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention pertains to the class usually termed ratchet-wrenches, and has for its object the effecting of certain improvements in details of construction looking to economy in manufacture, durability in use, and to means for rendering the sockets removable and interchangeable.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a wrench made in accordance with my invention, showing one of the movable washers partly swung to one side. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the wrench. Fig. 3 is a per spective view of the removable wrenchsocket. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same, partly in section.

socket-piece, so drawn and a desired one put in its place. Said washer is pivoted on the pin or screw 6 in such a manner as to permit it to be swung laterally free and clear of the socket-piece. To retain this washer in place, a depression 8 is formed in the head 2 and the washer provided with a projection, as at 7 to enter such depression. The washer and its pivot are fitted to press the part of the washer at the point 7 elastically toward the face 01 the head 2 in order to insure the reliable engagement of said projection and depression.

The reason why I form the inner surface of the head 2 with ratchet-teeth instead of the peripheryof the socket-piece is that I have discovered it to be far more economical to thus make the teeth. To produce the teeth on the periphery of the socket-piece 10 requires that the latter be mounted on a man drel and the teeth milled or planed. This is quite expensive; but to form the teeth within the head 2 all that I need to do is to punch or broach them in one operation, tak ing not onehundredth of the time of the other method.

Another advantage is that of strength. The teeth being formed in the head instead of in the socketpiece, the latter can have a much larger opening for the same size and strength of head and socketpiece. If the teeth are in the socket-piece, the proximity of a corner of the opening and of the bottom ofa tooth is very apt to start a crack when the socket-piece is hardened, which crack may not develop until some strain is put upon the wrench. Hence when the ratchetteeth are cut upon the periphery of the socket-piece the diameter of the latter-must be made large enough to allow ample metal at such weakest parts, and this of course greatly enlarges the wrench-head as com- Fig. 5 1s a perspective view of the ratchet-pawl.

The handle 1 of this wrench is formed with an annular head 2, having ratchet-teeth 3 formed on its inner surface. Fitting loosely within this annular head is a cylindrical wrench-socket 10, having its peripheral surface smooth and adapted to revolve within said head. A washer 4, fixed to one side of said head, and a removable washer 5 at the opposite side serve to keep the wrench-socket in place. To hold said socket 10 when the in one direction, a pawl 16 is provided, a recess 12 therefor being formed in said socket-piece, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This pawl is made with pivotal ears 17, and said recess has seats 14 for said cars, by means of which the pawl is better held in place. A depression 13 receives a small coiled spring 15, by means of which the pawl is pressed into engagement with the teeth 3.

When the handle 1 is swung in one direction, pawl 16 engages the ratchet-teeth 3 and turns the socket-piece 10 with it. A swing in the opposite direction allows the socket-piece to remain stationary and the pawl to secure a new grip.

The socket-opening 11 shown in the drawings is square and fitted for approximately a one-inch nut or bolt. To enable a hexagonal socket to be substituted or one larger or smaller, I arrange the washer '5 to be capable herein set forth.

When having the socket-piece removable, it is necessary to have the pawl 16 secured in place by setting over slightly the material composing the sides of the seats 14, and so looking the ears 17 against coming out.

As shown in Fig. 4, these pivotal ears do not take the strain to which the pawl is subjected in action, inasmuch as the latter abuts against the back of the recess 12.

Where I use the term socket-piece in the following claim, I design to include thereby any modified types of device such as will that the latter can be with I pared with what is ample for the wrench adapt the same for a ratchet-drill, tapwrench, socket-Wrench, and other uses of a similar character. by sald recess, and a spring bearing against What I claim as my invention, and for f the back of said pawl for normally retaining which I desire Letters Patent, is as follows, to the opposite end thereof beyond the periph- Wit: cry of said socket-piece.

In combinationwith awrench-handle,hav- In testimony that I claim ing an annular internally-toothed head, a Vention I havehereunto set my hand this socket-piece in said head having an opening 1 20th day of February ears at one end engaging in said seats and having 1ts back abutting the end wall formed formed therethrougl1,'and having arecess 1n FREDERICK E. WALDEN. its periphery with seats merging into said Witnesses: recess at the outer portions of said recess and A. B. UPHAM, at one end thereof, a pawl having integral F. G. TILToN. 

